Author Identifier (ORCID)
Pedro Lopez: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3897-667X
Abstract
Purpose: To systematically review and analyze the effects of photobiomodulation on oral mucositis, xerostomia, salivary flow rates, oral pain, and quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer. Methods: A systematic search of six databases was conducted up to April 2025. Eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examined the effects of photobiomodulation on the specified outcomes in patients with head and neck cancer. Pooled estimates (risk ratio [RR] and standardized mean difference [SMD]) were calculated using a three-level mixed-effects meta-analysis. Results: Thirty-three articles describing 30 RCTs (n = 1748) were included. Photobiomodulation significantly reduced the risk of severe oral mucositis (RR 0.46, 95% CI: 0.29–0.71, P < 0.001) and severe oral pain (RR 0.35, 95% CI: 0.23–0.53, P < 0.001) compared with controls. Significant improvements were also observed for salivary flow rate (SMD 0.75, 95% CI: 0.03–1.46, P = 0.044). No significant effects were observed on xerostomia (SMD −0.07, 95% CI: −0.47–0.33, P = 0.646) and quality of life (SMD 1.06, 95% CI: −0.03–2.14, P = 0.060). The benefits were consistent across different photobiomodulation protocols for oral mucositis and quality of life. Conclusions: Photobiomodulation appears to be a promising supportive care intervention, reducing the risk of severe mucositis and oral pain, while potentially improving salivary flow rates and preserving quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer. However, the certainty of the evidence ranged from very low to low and most included studies presented a high risk of bias; therefore, these findings should be interpreted with caution.
Keywords
Head and neck neoplasms, low-level light therapy, mouth dryness, quality of life
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
4-1-2026
Volume
34
Issue
4
PubMed ID
41880047
Publication Title
Supportive Care in Cancer
Publisher
Springer
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Pedroso, M. N. M., Rech, A., Casagrande, N., Pissaia, J. F., Zardo, J. S., Borges, V. L., Bombana, S. R., Muller, C. T., Casara, P., Brollo, J., Júnior, C. P., Gallon, C. W., & Lopez, P. (2026). Effects of photobiomodulation on oral mucositis, oral pain, xerostomia, salivary flow rate, and quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Supportive Care in Cancer, 364. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-026-10575-4